Meerlust |
Meerlust, with its historic manor house, classic wine cellar, family cemetery, dovecote and bird sanctuary is situated fifteen km south of Stellenbosch and is uniquely positioned for the production of wines with exceptional complexity and character. |
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 | CHARDONNAY | 2021 | 20.25 |
| Very bright pale-yellow colour with green, vivacious hue. Complex, appealing nose of apricot, peach, pear, lemon zest and floral notes with hints of toasted almonds. On the palate the wine is well structured and linear but retains generous focused stone fruit flavours with sleek, balanced, and crisp acidity. The wine remains vivacious and fresh on the finish with clean citrus fruit under pinned by minerality. The wine has a long, very pleasant lingering finish. Maturation took place in a mix of 50% new and 50% second fill 300lt oak barrels. |
| Tim Atkin: 94, Platter: 91 |
 | CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Magnum 1,5l) * | 2014 | 45.50 |
| The Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 has an intense, youthful purple colour with slight gradation at the rim. On the nose the wine shows intense cassis, mulberry, plum and classic cedar wood-cigar box notes with lifted dark fruit aromas. On the palate the wine is full bodied and impressively structured with rich blackcurrant and plum fruit bolstered by refined tannins and fresh natural acidity. Only the free-run wine was used and aged for 21 months in tight grained French Nevers oak barrels. 50% of the barrels were brand new with 50 % second fill casks.
Individually packed in white tin containers. |
| Platter: **** |
| MERLOT | 2016 | 19.30 |
| Both sombre & lively notes of spicy tobacco along with dark fruit. Merlot with some Cabernet Franc (8%) & Petit Verdot (7%) adding as usual to complexity. Serious, richly flavoured, with sweet, bright fruit. Many years to go. 16 months in 50% new barriques. |
| Platter: 92 |
| MERLOT * | 2017 | 20.60 |
| Merlot based blend with 8% Cabernet Franc and 4.5% Petit Verdot. The dark fruit and opulence of the wine is immediately apparent. Balanced, flavourful fruit. Intense dark brambly fruit on the nose, mulberry, liquorice and damson plum with hints of dark chocolate and spice, tempered by a stony minerality. The medium-full bodied palate offers generous, ripe, pure Merlot fruit with refreshing acidity, structured yet silky tannins and pronounced length and minerality. There is a core of juiciness, opulence and richness typical of the variety, while the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot lend greater complexity to the wine. Maturation took place in 54% new French oak, 46% second fill for 17 months before bottling. |
| Platter: 93, Tim Atkin: 91 |
| PINOT NOIR * | 2018 | 19.85 |
| Intense, vivid translucent youthful purple-ruby appearance. The wine shows pronounced lifted perfume on the nose with red berry fruit, musk, wild mushrooms and hints of savoury richness and spice and a clean vibrant minerality. . On the palate there are very pure Pinot fruit flavours on entry with red cherry and musk flavours coupled with fresh acidity. The wine has layered complexity with great elegance and finesse. Very fine lacy, almost powdery tannin on the finish. The wine was matured in 50% new Allier Hogsheads and 50% second fill Hogsheads for 11 months before bottling. |
| Platter: 91 |
| PINOT NOIR | 2020 | 21.20 |
| Intense, vivid opaque youthful purple-ruby appearance. The wine shows pronounced lifted floral perfume on the nose with a brooding and seductive dark berry fruit, musk, wild mushrooms and hints of iron, savoury richness and spice and an intense vibrant minerality.
On the palate there are very pure Pinot fruit flavours on entry with red cherry and musk flavours coupled with fresh acidity. The wine has layered complexity with great elegance and finesse. Very fine lacy, almost powdery tannin on the finish. 25% of the wine raised in a new 2500 L French oak foudre, with the balance being matured in 60% new tight grain Allier oak and 40% second-fill 300 liter casks. |
| Tim Atkin: 92, Platter: 88 |
| RUBICON (Magnum 1,5l) * | 2015 | 52.05 |
| The wine is showing all of the hallmarks of a great, classic vintage of Rubicon. Incredibly dense purple-ebony core with very slight gradation at the rim. The nose is brooding, dark bramble fruit, cassis, plum, incense and liquorice, it is still very tightly coiled, slowly offering cigar box, crushed stone and subtle oak spice. On the palate the wine is concentrated yet restrained with dark fruit flavours of pastille, mulberry and dark chocolate, all held in an intricate lattice of polished sleek grape tannin. Promises a long future of maturation and enjoyment. 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The wine spend a total of 18 months in 300L barrels, 66% new French Nevers and 44% second fill casks. Individually packed in black tin containers.
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| Winemag: 94, Tom Cannavan: 94, Platter: 93 |